Best Wheelbarrow I Top Rated Heavy Duty Picks!

Gardening without a wheelbarrow is like getting up early after a night on the town. It’s doable, but it totally sucks. Finding the best wheelbarrow isn’t exactly easy either.

This guide will review a few wheelbarrows that won the popular vote in different categories and break down their perks and disadvantages as well as familiarize you with the most important aspects to consider when buying a wheelbarrow.

Best OptionWORX Aerocart Multifunction 2-Wheeled Yard Cart

If there is one crucial feature every gardener needs in their gardening tools, it’s versatility. The WORX Aerocart is not a simple unit, it’s a potholder, a rock mover, a dolly, a hand truck and so much more. The multipurpose barrow easily handles weights up to 300 lbs., making it easier for a gardener to cope with even the hardest task on their own.

Never worry about having to inflate the tires either. They are oversized and designed to never go flat. Using a patented design, the center of gravity of the wheelbarrow is always balanced. No matter what you are carrying, it is extremely difficult to ever tip over this unit. You get a lot for the price of this wheelbarrow. Included are cylinder holders, bag holders, flower pot straps, and mesh rock movers.

The construction is all steel and the effective ergonomic design takes away all the weight from what is in the wheelbarrow. If you are moving something that is 200 pounds, it will feel more like 15 pounds when you are pushing it. There is also an extension arm that will allow for you to carry small trees, mulch bags, flower pots, and more!

Heavy Duty True Temper 6 Cubic ​​​​Foot Wheelbarrow

Those who have to maintain a larger garden would benefit greatly from operating this best heavy-duty wheelbarrow. The True Temper 6 cubic foot wheelbarrow is a poly cart with 2 wheels that ensure stability and is well balanced if operated with one hand. The tires are truly flat-proof, making it the best wheelbarrow for working with large loads.

The tray is corrosion proof and the wheels measure 14-inches in diameter. Any type of light work you want done you can do with this True Temper Wheelbarrow. Homeowners and landscapers will find this unit more than capable.

Best Value for the MoneyMarathon Dual-Wheel Residential

Gardening uneven land is a challenging task on its own, so the best wheelbarrow for rocky surfaces should at least be dual-wheel (ideally you should look for 4 wheeled wheelbarrows, but those are less maneuverable). The Marathon is much lighter than other options on the market, which makes it a perfect choice for women, teenagers, or the elderly.

Getting your wheelbarrow is extremely easy. With only two tools(not included), a wrench and screwdriver, you can get everything set up in minutes. The weight of this unit is 29 pounds, almost 25% lesser than other traditional wheel barrows. It also comes with a cushion grip loop handle that makes it easy to push and pull. Using this at your home is recommended as the weight capacity is only 300-pounds. Lastly, you can choose from several different colors.

This is the best wheelbarrow for rough terrains. Whether you need to go downhill or pull it uphill, this True Temper wheelbarrow gives a gardener full control over their tool. It’s an easy-to-maneuver wheelbarrow that would serve its owner for decades. (R)

Less than IdealUnited General WH89975 Steel Tray Contractor

While United General sets a great price for its contractor wheelbarrow, it certainly loses to its opponents. A collective opinion based on United General wheelbarrows reviews shows that this tool isn’t durable and is prone to corrosion.

Different Types to Choose From

There are three common types of wheelbarrows. It’s impossible to pinpoint a perfect one, as each gardener has their own preferences and needs. There are as many ‘best wheel barrows’ as there are gardeners!

Hybrid

This type is the closest one to the good old wheelbarrow as it looked years ago. Back then, a wheelbarrow was always shallow and one-wheel. Now, hybrid ones could have anywhere from 1 to 4 wheels and they all serve special purposes.

Hill-Use

Pushing a monstrous cart loaded with dirt uphill is no fun, so one should choose a cart that would be lighter if they live in a hilly area. Normally these are made of good plastic, the ball bearings always stay lubricated, and handles are comfortable to grip.

Electric

An electric wheelbarrow is by far the best option for those people who constantly have to cultivate massive areas. Otherwise, there is no reason to get this type, as they are not a cheap treat, plus one would have to constantly pay for maintenance.

A Few Features to Ease Your Gardening

It may be difficult to find many differences that should influence your buying decision. However, there are a few things that you should be on the lookout for when choosing a wheelbarrow.

Before we begin, think about specific use cases that you have that involve the wheelbarrow. This will paint a clearer picture of the tasks you will handle with your wheelbarrow. For example, some people own a small garden that they like to take care of. For this use case, you will likely want to be focusing on a smaller wheelbarrow. Size is important, but so is shape. Wheelbarrows can come in all types of different shapes and you would be surprised to see how many uniquely designed wheelbarrows there are.

Lastly, materials play a huge role when it comes to your use cases. Steel type units display durability and can be used for heavy duty type jobs. These can also involve a higher price tag. For a cheaper alternative, you can always go with plastic kind. Again, these considerations all depend on your preference and use case for the wheelbarrow itself.

Material

Ease Your Gardening

The choice basically comes down to steel or plastic, and each option has its own advantages. A plastic kind is lighter, less expensive and easier to push if you have to go uphill often.

However, plastic is bad with cold weather and heavy loads and the plastic can crack. Canvas (rarer) models are perfect only for tiny households.

Handles

Traditional two straight handles provide high maneuverability and full control over the cart. However, they require more strength that some people can handle and are not the best choice for people with wider shoulders. A single-bar handle makes pulling easier and can be handled by the majority of people.

Number of Tires

This could be from 1 to 4. A one-wheel cart gives a gardener more maneuverability, 2 wheels provide stability (but are a terrible choice for hilly areas), 3 wheeled models are quite rare nowadays, and 4 wheeled kind are easy to push on rough surfaces.

Tire Material

Pneumatic tires require occasional maintenance and have to be checked regularly, but offer a gardener a smoother ride. These are not the best choice for rough terrains. Non-pneumatic tires are made of solid rubber, so they’re puncture proof tires that don’t have to be inflated, yet they are heavier when pushing. Semi-pneumatic ones don’t require constant maintenance but don’t absorb all the shock.

Choosing a wheelbarrow is harder than it might seem at first, so you have to weigh everything before making a decision. If you consider your terrain, the amount of workload you have, and the amount you’re ready to invest in this tool, a choice becomes obvious.

Don’t forget, you can also use your new tool to get in some exercise! As you can see, owning the best unit you can afford is a wise choice, no matter how you plan on using it.

​What Makes a Quality Wheelbarrow?

In addition, there are things that should make or break your decision on choosing a certain kind. These specific features are important as they will determine the overall quality of the unit that you are going to choose.

​​Weight

Let's talk about weight. We will discuss this from two different angles. Firstly, let's talk about how much the unit itself weighs. This can make a huge difference as this weight is going to be added on to the weight of items that you are carrying. You also have to push the item around a lot while it is empty. So, if you are not used to carrying or moving larger weight objects, you should go with one that is as lightweight as possible. Make sure the materials are good though!

Now, let's discuss weight in the sense of the overall capacity that the unit can handle. More is not always better. This will depend on what you will be using it for. Having an unit that can carry 300-pounds and having it still feel like its 300 pounds when you are pushing it means the wheelbarrow is lacking quality. You want one that has a weight capacity that is high but also distributes well.

​​Distribution

Speaking of distribution, another important aspect is how well the weight id distributed throughout. A lot of this has to due with the number of tires that you have. Taking the number of tires and the weight capacity into account together should give you an accurate idea of how heavy it will be to push the wheelbarrow. Single tire tpes are not good for heavier weights. Again, this depends on what you will be using your wheel barrow for.

​​Ball Bearings

Many people do not take into account the ball bearings on a wheelbarrow. These are important, however. Many on the market have less than optimal ball bearings which can come back to bite you if you do not notice. The ball bearings have a lot to do with the weight capacity of the unit itself. So, if you have bad ball bearings, you can expect to run into issues. This is especially true for units that claim to have a high weight capacity. Lastly, ball bearings also aid in the speed that you are going to be able to push the wheelbarrow. Bad ball bearings can slow down your overall productivity.

​Number of Tires?

​So, we've talked a lot about tires as they are important when it comes to wheel barrows. You may be confused as to how many tires you actually need for the task that you are going to be using your wheelbarrow with. As such, we will try to make things a bit clearer on that aspect.

​One Wheel

These are the cheapest kind that you can buy. One wheel type means you probably will not be able to carry much weight with them. They are great at maneuvering though. If you will need to get through a maze or turn many corners, having a one wheel kind will work great for you. These types of wheelbarrows are also hard to balance if you add more weight to it.

​Two Wheel

Some people say the two wheel kind is the best to choose. It has ample balance with two wheels and some are designed for moderate maneuverability. These are also medium priced range but not much different than four wheeled wheelbarrows.

​​Four Wheel

Lastly, we have four wheel unit. These are not seen too often. Although, they are very strong and durable. It almost resembles a cart moreso than a wheelbarrow. You will find that these are the easiest unit to use as well. Not much lifting is needed to get the most out of them. However, you lose a lot of maneuverability for it.

Green Collab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates